Automatic clutch control mechanism



April 9, 1935. o. N. GREDELL I 1,996,918

AUTOMATIC CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM Filed, March 21, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY.

April 9, 1935. o. N. GREDELL I AUTQMATIC CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM Filed March 21, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 0770 /V 6/60? A TTORNE Y.

Patented Apr. 9, 1935 PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC CLUTCH ooN'rRoL MECHANISM Otto N Gredell, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to Standard Steel Works, North Kansas City, Mo;, a'corporation of Missouri Application March 21, 1932, Serial No. 600,238 Claims. (01. 192-405) ing material to a grinding mill, and has for its 5, principal object to effect automatic operation of the conveyor proportionate to the rate of reduction in the grinding mill.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide a simple, positively operating'control clutch mechanism for operably connecting the power shaft of the grinder with the gearing mechanism driving the conveyor,-to provide a device which is readily adjusted to effect operation of the conveyor at desired rotational speeds of the grinder, and to provide means for rendering the automatic release of the clutch ineffective, whereby the conveyor may be constantly driven regardless of speed of rotation of the rotor.

In accomplishing these and other objects of A the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view through a grinding mill employing a conveyor for feeding material into the reduction chamber thereof and equipped with a conveyor control mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a .detail vertical sectional view through the control clutch mechanism and thedriving gears for operating the conveyor from the rotor shaft of the grinder. Fig. 3 is a disassembled perspective view of the parts of the clutch mechanismshown in spaced relation, the clutch drum and housing therefor I being shown in section. I Fig. 4 is a detail end elevational View of the control clutch mechanism and driving connections between the driven shaft of the transmission and the countershaft of the conveyor whereby two different selective speeds are provided for the conveyor. i

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail fragmentary view of a portion of one of the clutch shoes illustrating the adjustment whereby clutching engagement of the shoes is regulated to provide operation of the conveyor at certain selected rotational speeds of the grinder rotor. I

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the clampfor locking the clutch shoes in engagement with the clutch drum, whereby the conveyor is driven regardless of, the speed of the rotor. Fig. 7 is an end elevational view of the clutch mechanism showing the clamp in position for locking the, shoes in engagement with the drum.

Referring. more in detail to the drawings:'

l designates a grinder housing including side .p1ates'2 and 3 spaced apart by a substantially circular band 4 to form a cylindricalirotor ,cham-' ber 5 therebetween. The band includes a screen portion 6 located atthe upper periphery of .the reduction chamber and through which reduced material is discharged from the housing.-

The side plates 2 and 3, are provided with bearing brackets 1 and 8 carrying anti-friction bearings 9 and H3, respectively, for mountingthe ends of a rotor shaft II.

Fixed to the rotor shaft I l and operable Within the reduction chamber is a rotor I2 including radially extending hammers l 3 for cooperatingwith the inner face of the band 4 and the screen 6 to effectreduction of the material. delivered to the housing by a conveyor generally designated M, which discharges through an inlet opening I5 in the side plate .2, as.illustrated in Fig. 1..

The rotor shaft is driven by asuitable pulley I6 fixed to a projecting end thereof adjacent the bearing bracket 8, as in ordinary grinder construction. The opposite end of the rotor shaft is provided with a reduced extension l'l projecting into a gear housing I8 now described.

The gear housing 18 includes a cylindrical sleeve-like portion 19 extending axially of the shaft to house aworm gear and a lower substantially semi-cylindrical portion 2| forming the upper part of the worm gearhousing, whichincludes a semi-circularcap portion 22 secured to the portion 2| by, bolts 23 extending through mating flanges 24 and 25 on the portion 2|. and cap 22, respectively.

The portion of the gear housing I9 is provided on the end adjacent the bearing bracket I with a peripheral-flange 26 engaging against the end of the bracket and which is secured thereto by bolts 21 extending through openings in the flange and threaded sockets formed in the face of the bracket 1. The opposite end of the gear housing is provided with an annular flange 28 having an annular shoulder 29 to seat a cover member 30 for enclosing the clutch mechanism. later described. The cover member30. is securedto its seat on the flange 28 by screws 3| extending through openings in theflange and into threaded sockets formed in-the cover member, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. r

The end of the cylindrical portion I!) of the gear housing adjacent'the bearing bracket 1 is provided with an annular inwardly extending flange32 encircling an intermediate stepped portion 33 of the rotor shaft and which is provided with an internal annular groove 34 for accommoclutch engaging face dating a'packing ring to prevent leakage of lubricant from the gear housing toward the interior of the reduction chamber.

Mounted in spaced relation on the shaft extension l! are anti-friction bearings 36 and 36' for rotatably mounting a worm 31 meshing with the worm gear 38 carried on a driven shaft 39 mounted in the lower portion of the housing. The worm 31 includes a sleeve-like body portion of substantially larger diameter than the shaft extension and is provided at its opposite ends with annular recesses to accommodate the outer bearing races for the anti-friction bearings 36 and 36, respectively. r

Formed on the outer periphery of the body portion intermediate the bearings 36 and 36 is a spiral thread 40 for engaging the teeth on the worm gear 38. The outer end of the worm extends beyond the bearing 36 and mounts a clutch drum 4 I. The-clutch drum 4| includes a hubportion 42 having an inner diameter to snugly engage the periphery of the worm and which is secured thereto by screws 43 extending through openings in the hub and intothreaded openings formed in the extension of the worm, as best illustrated in Fig. 2. Extending radially, of the hub portion is a disk portion '44 terminating in an annular laterally extending flange. 45 forming an annular for the clutch shoes later described. g

Keyed to, the end of the shaft extension 11 adjacent the bearing 36 is a clutch shoe carrying member 46 having a hub portion 41 engaging against the bearing 36 to retain the worm in position on the shaft extension and the bearing 36 against the shoulder formed by the stepped portion of the shaft. The member 46 is secured to the shaft by a spline 48, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, whereby the shoe carrier, is positively driven upon rotation of the shaft. Extending laterally from the outer face of the' member 46 and spacedradially from the axis thereof are pins 49--49 for mountingthe clutch shoes 50 and 5|, respectively. i

. In order'to lock the member 46' against longitudinal movement on the shaft, the end of the shaft isjprovided with an annular groove 52 for accommodating segmental lock rings 5353.'. The segments are substantially semi-circular and have a suitable innerdiameter to engage in the groove 52 and whereby the segments overlap the forward face of the shoe carrier. The segments are secured to the shoe carrierlby screws 54 'extending through openings in the segments and into threaded sockets formed in the face of the carrier. g p V To. prevent leakage of lubricant from the in terior of the worm, a gasket ring 55 issleeved over the hub of the carrier member and is compressed into sealing. engagement therewith and against the end of the worm by aring 56 engaging against the disk portion of the clutch drum and which is secured thereto by screws 51.

Theshoes 59. and 5| include arcuate-shaped arm portions 58 provided with fabric linings 59 adapted. to engage the inner periphery of the clutchdrum 4]. Depending fromthe inner face of the arms 58 at their endsopposite to the linings 59 are ears 6!] having openings, 6| for ,en-

The spring 62 extends diametrically across the clutch drum and has opposite ends engaging against nuts 6464' carried on threaded studs 65-65 extending inwardly from the ends of the arms opposite to the brake linings 59. The spring thus tends to retain the lining portion of the shoes out of engagement with theclutch drum, but is adapted to yield duev to centrifugal force created by the revolving shoes when the rotor shaft has attained a certain R. P. M., to permit the shoes to engage the clutch drum, thereby The shaft 39 is rotatably mounted inbearings 69 and 10 and its end projects outwardly therefrom to mount sprockets 'II and 12. Running over the sprockets H and I2 and over aligning sprockets13 and 14 on a countershaft I5 are chains 16 and 11, respectively. The sprocketsll and 13 and the sprockets 12 and 14 are of differential diameter whereby the countershaft maybe rotated at different speeds depending upon which of, the sprockets 13 or 14 is engaged with the countershaft, as now described.

Splined on the countershaft between the sprockets 13 and 14 is a clutch collar 'lfl having oppositely facing clutch teeth 82' and 83 for engaging complementary teeth 84 and 85 on the respective gears. The clutch collar is actuated by a lever arm 86 pivotally mounted on a bracket 81 extending from the conveyor frame 88, as best illustrated in Fig. 4.

It is thus apparent that when the teeth' 32 of the clutch collar are engaged with'the teeth on the sprocket 13, the countershaft is operable by the chain '16- upon rotation of the worm 31, and when the clutch teeth 83 are engaged with the teeth 85', the countershaft is operable by the chain 'I'L'whereby two different speeds may be imparted to the countershaft. I

The conveyor I4 is operable from the countershaft through suitable gearing indicated at 89, but which forms no partof the present invention.

In order that the clutch shoes may be positively retained in engagement with the clutch drum, I provide a clamp member 90. The clamp member 90 includes spaced jaws 9| and 92 having curved ends 93 for engaging against a periphery of the segments 53 and 53', while the outer ends of the jaws lie flat against the arcuateshaped arms, as illustrated in Fig. 7. n

The jaws are retained in engagement with the shoes by a bolt having its head welded to the outer end of one of the jaws and its shank extending through a slot 94 in the other jaw. A nut 95 is threaded onto the bolt for engaging the inner face of the slotted jaw to spread the jaws apart to prevent operation of the shoes and retain them in Wedging engagement with the clutch drum.

Assuming that the clutch mechanism is constructed and assembled as described, the pulley is belted to a suitable prime mover to actuate the rotor shaft. When the rotor attains its proper speed the shoes engage the clutch drum. Upon engagement of the shoes, the clutch drum is rotated therewith to rotate the worm 31. 'Rotation of the Worm rotates the worm gear to drive the driven shaft 39. Rotation of the driven shaft drives the sprockets l3 and 14 through the chains 16 and H. The time at which the shoes engage the clutch drum is governed by adjusting tension of the spring 62 upon regulation of the nuts 64 and 64'.

If a high conveyor speed is desired, the clutch collar is shifted by the lever 86 to the right (Fig. 4), so that the teeth 83 engage the teeth 85 on the sprocket 14. If a lower speed is desired, the collar is shifted in the opposite direction to engage the teeth 82 with the teeth of the sprocket 13 Should a greater quantity of material be fed in the reduction chamber than can be handled by the rotor, the material retards rotation of the rotor to slow down the power shaft H, which permits the spring 62 to move the shoes away from the clutch drum, stopping feed of the conveyor. As soon as the rotor attains its original speed, centrifugal force acting on the shoes overcomes the tension of the spring 62 to permit the shoes to engage the clutch drum to drive the conveyor.

When the grinder is operating to cut ensilage, the shoes 50 and 5! may be retained in driving relation with the clutch drum by applying the clamping member 90.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a clutch control mechanism which is simple in construction and well adapted for the purpose for which it is employed.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a driving shaft, a member loosely mounted on the driving shaft, a clutch drum fixed to said member and having an internal clutch engaging face concentric with the driving shaft, a clutch shoe carrying member fixed to the driving shaft, clutch shoes, means for pivotally mounting the clutch shoes on said carrying member for movement in the direction of rotation of the driving shaft to engage the clutch face of said drum responsive to centrifugal force generated by gyration of the clutch shoes, and yielding means normally retaining said clutch shoes from engagement with the clutch face until the driving shaft has attained a predetermined speed, said clutch shoes and shoe carrying member being provided with surfaces adapted to cooperate with insertable jaw membersto retain the clutch shoes in engagement with the clutch engaging face to render said yielding means ineffective.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a housing, a driving shaft rotatably mounted in the housing and having a stop shoulder, a driven member in the housing having bearing recesses in the ends thereof, anti-friction bearings in said recesses for mounting the driven member on the driving shaft, a clutch shoe carrying member fixed to the driving shaft at a point spaced from said stop shoulder and having a hub portion engaging against one of the bearings to retain the other bearing against said stopshoulder, a clutch drum fixed to the driven member, clutch shoes on the shoe carrier and engageable with the clutch drum, and a packing element sealingly engaging the carrier for retaining lubricant in the bearings I from travelling to the clutch shoes and clutch drum.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a housing, a driving shaft rotatably mounted in the housing having a stop shoulder, a driven member in the housing having bearing recesses in the ends thereof, anti-friction bearings in the recesses for mounting the driven member on the driving shaft, a clutch shoe carrying member fixed to the driving shaft at a point spaced from said stop shoulder and having a hub portion engaging against one of the bearings to retain the other bearing against said stop shoulder, a clutch drum fixed to the driven member, clutch shoes on the shoe carrier engaging the clutch drum, a packing ring sealingly engaging the carrier and seating against the driven member to prevent lubricant in the bearings from travelling to the clutch shoes, a retaining ring sleeved over said hub portion and engaging the packing ring, and means for securing the retaining ring tothe clutch drum.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a housing, a driving shaft rotatably mounted in the housing and having a stop shoulder, a driven member in the housing having a sleeve portion spaced from the driving shaft, anti-friction bearings for rotatably mounting the driven member on the shaft, a clutch drum having a hub portion sleeved over the sleeve portion of the driven member, means for securing the hub portion of the clutch drum to the sleeve portion of the driven member, a clutch shoe carrier fixed to the shaft and having a hub portion sleeved in the sleeve portion of the driven member and engaging one of the bearings to retain the other bearing against said stop shoulder, clutch shoes on the carrier, and sealing means sealingly engaging said hub portions on the clutch shoe vcarrying member and on the drum to retain lubricant in the bearings.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a driving shaft, a member loosely mounted on the driving shaft, a clutch drum connected with said member and having an internal clutch engaging face concentric with the driving shaft, a clutch shoe carrying member fixed to the driving shaft and having jaw engaging portions, clutch shoes having jaw engaging portions, means for pivotally mounting the clutch shoes on said carrying member to engage the clutch face of said drum responsive to centrifugal force generated by gyration of the clutch shoes, yielding means normally restraining said clutch shoes from eng'agement with the clutch face, and wedge means having jaw portions to engage with said jaw engaging portions for retaining the clutch shoes in engagement with the clutch engaging face in opposition to said yielding means.

' OTTO N. GREDELL. 

